Bloodfire (Blood Destiny 1) - Helen Harper Page 0,60
mean, my lord?” I asked, turning but keeping my eyes downcast. Let him think he’d beaten me into meek submission.
“This, if I’m not mistaken, is the girls’ dorm. Not the room you share with the wolf.”
Oh, yeah. “We’re, uh, re-assessing our relationship in light of recent revelations.”
He stepped closer. I just hoped that the last remnants of the shifter lotion were going to hold. “I just bet you are,” he said smoothly, “especially given that you are clearly only just arriving home. Who was it this time? The human? Or perhaps a new conquest with the mage?”
“I spent all night self-flagellating myself for my behavior towards you, my lord,” I answered sarcastically. Shut up, Mack, just shut up. I raised my eyes to meet his. They were so green, with those little flashes of gold that sparkled. And the way his dark hair hung over his brow in gentle waves - he was actually really very good-looking. I realised that I was surely still hallucinating all this of course when a little winged baby carrying a golden bow and arrow floated past him.
“That mouth of yours does get you into a lot of trouble, doesn’t it?” He looked at my face for what seemed like a very long time. “Just because I’m leaving, doesn’t mean that I won’t forget that you need to be punished for your infantile behavior.”
“Infantile? Why you fu..,” Shut UP, Mackenzie, whispered the voice. “Yes, my lord,” I finished.
Deep amusement sparked in his eyes. Bastard. He was clearly enjoying himself. “I thought you should know,” his deep voice drawled, “that I was impressed with the wolf’s fighting skills last night. And yours. You should consider the possibility that both of you would do well to join our ranks in the Brethren. Assuming that you can learn some manners, of course.”
In your dreams, catboy. “How thoughtful of your lordship to think of us. You would do better to engage your attentions elsewhere however, I fear.”
“Indeed,” he said. He moved even closer to me until the distance between us was bare inches. It was a definite struggle not to step back. “Well, till next time then, kitten. Perhaps then your hair will be back to its normal colour. I am a fan of Celtic red hair.”
I tried not to too obviously tense in annoyance, inclining my head just in time to see a spotted snake with an apple in its mouth slither past me into the dorm. How strange. “My lord.” I made my escape and shut the dorm room door firmly behind me. He was leaving and that was all that mattered. The rest of the Brethren at least didn’t seem so circumspect in their attentions.
I looked at my bed and almost ran to it, sinking down into the mattress and stretching out my toes to curl off the end. Sleep.
Chapter Fifteen
When I woke up, the dorm room was dark. I was aware of the sounds of others sleeping around me and hoped that I’d only lost a day. I had a lot to do. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I glanced at the green glow of the clock on my bedside table. It flashed 3.20am. At least that meant that I’d have some peace as everyone else would be in the land of nod. I was still wearing my clothes from the day before so I lifted up my t-shirt and gingerly prodded my side. It was sore and tender but nothing more. Even better. Pushing myself until I passed out had not been my smartest move ever – at least the green gloop from Julia had put the kibosh on that happening again. And with Lord Shifty himself gone from the keep, I’d have more freedom to arrange my thoughts and continue my investigations properly. The other Brethren members didn’t seem capable of jumping without his say so, meaning that it would be a lot easier for me to stay out of the way of those remaining.
I pulled out the shifter lotion from the drawer in the table and padded into the bathroom. I undressed and surveyed the damage. I was covered in scratches and bruises, a mesh of different rainbow colours from angry purple to fading yellow. Lovely. I’d have killed for a long soak in the tub but was mindful of Julia’s warning about bathing. Sniffing my skin experimentally, I wrinkled my nose. I was normally a bit of a stickler for good personal hygiene and the stale smell